New Build - RedSea Max Nano G2 XXL

[jkrohn]

Starting a new build thread for a Max Nano G2 XXL (hopefully arriving today!)

I currently have a 125G that is full on high tech and high maintenance, so looking to do two things with this tank:
1) Create something I can enjoy that is low maintenance and can be maintained reasonably with water changes and a small amount of dosing
2) A tank that can house the corals and life I can't / don't want to put into my 125g. This primarily will be soft corals and anemones which have caused problems in my mixed in the past (quick proliferation, stinging others, etc)
3) See how the redsea app / ecosystem works vs what I have with the Apex at the moment.

Still working on stocking thoughts and ideas, but there is some time while I get everything setup and cycled.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

The Max Nano is a nice tank! Following along!

 

[jkrohn]

Got everything setup last night.

Materials quality on everything is fantastic but man the assembly instructions could use some serious work.
- All of the cabinet pieces come unlabeled, so when it says put B1 onto B2 you have to sort through all the pieces and match up where the predrilled holes are, general size, shape, etc to sort it all out.
- Maybe this is common knowledge to those with RedSea tanks, but when you put the tank on the stand, it does not fit on the stand. The front hangs off about an inch. I now know this is so when you put the doors on everything is flush and clean looking, but at the time this was incredibly confusing and isn't mentioned in the installation instructions at all.
- Assembly of the return pumps and the directional flow eyeball is super confusing about what parts go where. I ended up watching some japanese assembly video to get it figured out.

Took about 2 hours to assemble and level the stand, probably another hour or so to get the equipment installed.

Up next is to get some aquascaping and saltwater in. I got 40lbs of Marco rock to play with.

 

[Gabbone]

Nice, I am gonna get Nano XXL next week too. Can't wait! Any tips apart the ones mentioned above?

What you gonna use as a lid?

 

[jimyedy15]

I super intrigued by the G2 Max Nanos and the Red Sea "ecosystem". I think they are really on to something with this concept and can simplify the hobby for a lot of people. Looking forward to seeing how your build comes along!

 

[Gabbone]

I would like to see some pics too!

 

[jkrohn]

Nice, I am gonna get Nano XXL next week too. Can't wait! Any tips apart the ones mentioned above?

What you gonna use as a lid?

A few things:
Lights
- You have to push down really hard to get them into the boxes they are mounted in, so much so it felt like I might break them.
- When you mount the LED on the arm, there are two holes. At first it looks like you should use the second (putting the arm all the way into the mount, as it fits great) but actually you use the first one (so it feels like it kind of hangs off). Once you screw it down though it is all tight and centered well.
- Make sure you actually have 4" of rear clearance or you won't have space to put the arms sideways to install as the LEDs stick out more. I had to disassemble the LEDs from the arms, put the arms on, then put the LEDs back on the arms once installed.

Interior Dimensions
- If you like to make a "box" tank to play around with aquascaping the interior dimensions were a bit problematic for me as the back took up more space than I was expecting, so my aquascape had to be reworked a bit.
- List exterior dimensions are 35.4" x 21.7"
- Interior dimensions are 34.5" x 16.75"
- The back chamber is 5" thick!

Bottom cabinet is really spacious, but it has no built in shelves. Going to figure something out there so I can use the space better.

I'm going to use a lid as I've had too many jumpers in the past. The custom lids look so good, and the rest of the setup is so sleek I don't want to ruin it with my DIY eggcrate I usually use. We'll see though as those are expensive! Some time to figure it out still.

 

[jkrohn]

Update:
- Got it filled with saltwater and an initial aquascape setup. The one I had planned out did not work well as the back chamber took up more space than I anticipated. Going to have to play around with it a bit to see what I like. Also have live sand and 11lbs of live rock coming from TBS (Feb 12) so I'll most certainly change things up once that comes. For the time being though I'll leave things running with the lights off. I had some of these rocks in my other tank sump for the last month or so, so hopefully some life can get going.

 

[Gabbone]

So nice, thank you for the updates!

For lights, I have my radion g6 so I am not gonna use the reefled.

I already ordered a custom acrylic lid and 20lb or 9kg of caribsea fiji pink.

Where did you put the heater?

 

[jkrohn]

For those using the reefleds I took some par measurements today:

This was with whites and blues both at 100%

Blues at 100% and Whites @50%: Loss of ~30 par
Blues at 100% and Whites @0%: Loss of ~70 par

Interesting is along the bottom the PAR closer to the front glass was significantly higher than in the middle. All other measurements were taken from the middle of the tank

 

[Gabbone]

For those using the reefleds I took some par measurements today:

This was with whites and blues both at 100%

Blues at 100% and Whites @50%: Loss of ~30 par
Blues at 100% and Whites @0%: Loss of ~70 par

Interesting is along the bottom the PAR closer to the front glass was significantly higher than in the middle. All other measurements were taken from the middle of the tank

Hi, I sent you a dm!

 

[MantisShrimpMan]

@jkrohn I’m looking at getting an XXL myself and was wondering if you’d be willing to measure something for me?

I would be interested in getting the nanomat filter roller as opposed to keeping up maintanence on the filter sock. I also noticed that on RedSea’s website there seems to be a fairly big chamber where the filter sock or filter roller would go. Would it be possible to set up that chamber as a refugium using this light? https://reefbuilders.com/2025/01/17/reef-casa-releases-nova-refugium-light-designed-for-aios/ or is that chamber too small or like, the only possible spot for a heater or something to that effect?

 

[jkrohn]

In general, maybe? I put my heater next to the return pump on the right.

There is an area under the nanomat that (according to my measurements) should be like 6"x7"